“When Scottsdale opened the bids for its new ambulance contract, the first 911 dispatch went to city attorneys,” reports today’s Arizona Republic.

“The contest was on between veteran Southwest Ambulance, which handles emergency calls for most of the Valley’s cities, and upstart Professional Medical Transport.Residents across Maricopa County can expect to witness a fast-paced race of legal challenges and lawsuits, accusations and recriminations.

“Southwest serves most major cities in the Valley except Phoenix. As each city’s contract comes up for renewal over the next year, PMT is expected to vie for a slice of Southwest’s business.

“With transport charges that can reach more than $600 per run, the winning company can expect to reap millions.”